It’s a strange mental image, isn’t it? Thinking about the ancient stone masons who built cathedrals suddenly having to stop working to check their email on an iPhone.
Freemasonry is hundreds of years old. Its roots go back even further. We pride ourselves on being the custodians of an ancient tradition, preserving rituals and lessons that have remained largely unchanged for centuries. We deal in timeless truths, physical symbols, and face-to-face fellowship.
But here we are in Fate, Texas, in the 2020s. We live in a world of instant gratification, pocket supercomputers, and Zoom calls.
For a Lodge like ours, Fate Masonic Lodge No. 802, this brings up a massive challenge. How do we take a Craft built on secrecy, slow deliberation, and physical presence, and make it thrive in the lightning-fast digital era?
It’s not about changing what we do. It’s about adapting how we support it. Let’s look at how the digital tide is shifting the landscape for us.
The Digital Trestleboard: Communication
Remember phone trees? Remember waiting for the monthly Trestleboard to arrive via snail mail to know if there was a stated meeting?
While those methods had a certain charm, they just don’t work for a modern membership that coordinates their entire lives through Google Calendar and group texts.
Technology has massively streamlined lodge operations. Secure lodge websites, email newsletters, and private messaging groups mean that communication is instant. We can coordinate degree teams, organize charity events, and send out reminders without licking a single stamp.
But there’s a double-edged sword here. Digital communication is efficient, but it’s also shallow. A text message is not a substitute for shaking a Brother’s hand before lodge. We have to use these tools to facilitate getting together, not replace the act of getting together.
The “Google Mason”: Membership and Vetting
Twenty years ago, if a man wanted to be a Mason, he probably asked his grandfather, his boss, or the guy down the street with the ring.
Today, the journey almost always starts with a Google search: “What is Freemasonry?” or “Masonic Lodge near Fate TX.”
The digital era has cracked open the door of secrecy just enough to let the light shine out. Men are finding us online. They are reading blogs, watching YouTube documentaries, and forming opinions long before they ever knock on our door.
This means our digital footprint—our website, our social media presence—is often the very first “investigating committee.” If we look dormant online, they assume we are dormant in reality.
However, technology also helps us. We can use digital tools to better manage the pipeline of candidates, keeping them engaged during that sometimes-long wait between degrees. It helps us keep track of our widows and ensure our older Brothers aren’t forgotten just because they can’t drive at night anymore.
What Will Never Change
There is a hard line in the sand that we must draw, however.
You cannot initiate a man over Zoom. You cannot convey the secrets of the Craft in a PDF. You cannot feel the grip of a Brother’s hand through a touchscreen.
The core of Freemasonry is an experiential, physical thing. It requires being in the same room, breathing the same air, and sharing the same sacred space. The internet is fantastic for Masonic education, history podcasts, and coordinating dinner plans. It is terrible for ritual.
The goal for Fate Masonic Lodge No. 802 isn’t to become an “online lodge.” The goal is to use modern tools to strengthen our traditional foundation. We use the digital world to ensure that when we do meet in the physical world, our time is well spent, our numbers are strong, and the fellowship is genuine.
We are ancient. We are also modern. We are Masons. We can handle both.
